Let's Go Higher can't be stopped at Vernon Downs

Let's Go Higher and Shawn Gray

Let's Go Higher increased her winning streak to five with a dominating 1:50.4 performance in Thursday night's $12,000 featured Open for female pacers at Vernon Downs.

With Shawn T. Gray doing the steering for trainer Heidi Rohr in Thursday's second session, the favorite Let's Go Higher was on the iron from the start, stomping out fractions of :26, :54.2 and 1:22.2 en route to a six-length score over last week's winner in this class, Don't Blame Her.

It was the fourth local score, the 12^th season's tally and the 21^st all-time victory for the steady-striding 5-year-old daughter of Cole Muffler-Ten Speed, who earned her 1:50.3 record here on Aug. 8.  The Jesse J. De Long-owned mare is currently a career-winner of more than $265,000.

Ten-time track driving champ Howard Okusko, Jr. charted his fourth triple of the 78-program meeting, winning with the trotters Oldmanandthesea (1:59), Oaklea Tyson (1:58) and pacer Winbak Your Kash (1:55).  His wife, former Downs conditioning champ Jessica Okusko, is the trainer of Oldmanandthesea and Winbak Your Kash. 

Veteran horseman Angus Mac Donald (66) enjoyed a driving win, My Future Ex (2:00.3), and two training tallies during Thursday's 12-race card.

DOWNS DOINGS—Roman Lopez and Jimmy Whittemore each earned one victory during Thursday's action, and remained tied for second-place on the track's driving chart with 92 wins each…The pacer Campanile Hanover and trotter DL Cruiser each extended their winning streaks to three during the program...Tomorrow night, the track will host the fifth and final preliminary leg of the Kindergarten Classic Series for 2-year-old trotters.  Filly flights will be featured in Friday's second and 11^th events, while male divisions will be contested in the fourth and sixth races.  A $12,000 Open Trot is also slated as the evening's ninth event.  First post is at 6:45 p.m…The Downs will also present the annual event's $400,000 championship final the following Friday, Oct. 25…Only 10 racing dates remain during the track's 60^th anniversary season that continues through Nov. 9…A revised 2013, 88-program racing and stakes calendar, as well as additional information regarding Vernon Downs, its casino, hotel, racing and promotional events can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com.